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Topic: [KSM] Furen Tze (Read 3614 times)

The Furen Tze are an ancient civilization primarily residing on the esoteric world of Furen.

They are commonly known for the highly eccentric and divergent technological path which their kind chose to take long before venturing into space. They are, in the usual sense, technologically primitive. However, it is their extensive knowledge of this "road not taken" which truly represent their achievements.

Biology

Biologically, the people of the Furen Tze can be described as a terrestrial, and in some instances, arboreal species with an overall appearance akin to a cross between a quasi-trisymmetrical echinoderm and an insect.

The Furen Tze are 125 to 150 cm in height and have thick hairless airtight skin with rigid plates positioned on top of the head, limbs and torso. Body color ranges from grey to varying shades of blue, purple or violet, depending on ethnicity.

Their complex eyes are arranged in parallel pairs, with each pair covered in a thick transparent shell that protects it from the elements. Each pair, of which there is one in the front of the head as well as on the upper distal end of each forearm, is capable of producing crisp stereoscopic vision.

All limbs are anatomically identical, with each one containing, in proximodistal order, three limb segments and a highly dexterious hand made up of five radially arranged fingers which also function as opposable thumbs. The only difference in the limbs are their sizes, with the six lower limbs arranged in radial pattern that alternates between small and large limbs, with the hindmost always being a large one. The three upper limbs are positioned in a front-facing horizontal row and are generally thinner and longer.

The mouth, and by extension the head, is anatomically similar to the limbs. However, the head only has a single jointed segment and the fingers act as a form of pseudo-mandibles. They are omnivores with a powerful sense of taste and smell, chemically sensing their environment using their pseudo-mandibles.

Verbal communication is primarily produced by muscular rings in the upper respiratory tract which vibrate at certain frequencies to create grinding, metallic and somewhat guttural sounds.

The Furen Tze have two sexes, male and female, with the male inseminating the female internally, who in turn undergoes a year or so of gestation before giving birth to live offspring. There is practically no external sexual dimorphism other than those directly related to reproduction.

Biochemically, the Furen Tze have a carbon-based physiology which uses water as the primary solvent. While capable of surviving for short periods of time in vacuum, they ultimately still require an atmosphere containing Oxygen. They are most at ease between 16 to 40 °C, though they are more than capable of operating at more extreme temperatures for brief bursts.

Gravitationally, a level of 1 to 1.15 g is recommended for long-term health, though they can survive for brief stints in environments of up to 1.75 g.

Personal

While not the strongest of beings, the average Furen Tze is shown to be capable of physical feats slightly above that of a baseline Human. The same can be said for speed, as well as agility.

It is in the mind that a Furen Tze is truly set apart, having a computational capacity at least ten times that of humans, allowing a typical Furen Tze to perform extensive calculations on the fly. They have also exhibited a vast amount of memory, whose retention borders on the eidetic.

An average Furen Tze usually lives for about 200 years.

Culture

The current era of Furen Tze culture, which has lasted for countless millennia, is primarily peaceful, however exceedingly stagnant. The long era of stability has shaped the civilization into one which has long lost its familiarity with large-scale conflict, focusing more on the management of domestic affairs using tried and tested knowledge passed on through countless generations.

While theoretically capable of fielding a considerable army, their actual ability is hampered by their non-aggressive stance and general dislike for imperialism. The only military to speak of is used for policing, exploration, self-defense, as well as the stringent isolation of Furen from unauthorized foreign presence.

Despite their peaceful nature, the Furen Tze are by no means lacking in determination. The greater the scope of an endeavor, the more dedicated the people usually become.

Aside from peace, contemporary Furen Tze culture is also big on tolerance, allowing aliens to live amongst them in the colonies. An exception to this air of tolerance is Furen, which is strictly off-limits to foreigners, for security reasons.

While progressiveness is not a completely alien concept, it is seldom practiced due to the populace's general content with the current setup. Only high-ranking Furen Tze scholars are known for innovation, and even then, only a select few within their ranks.

Furen Tze are fiercely loyal to Furen's ruling body, and by extension, to its individual subjects.

The only thing that can surpass a Furen Tze's loyalty is his drive to aid a fellow in need, may it be Furen Tze or otherwise. This leads to a society which is, by principle, as uniform as possible through the employment of mutual assistance.

What the Furen Tze lack in progress, they more than make up for in the arts. This specific aspect of culture is a central theme in trade, industry, education and government.

Individual success is also considered highly in Furen Tze society. One's individual progress is a major, though by no means the only, marker of one's dedication to his chosen field.

This is primarily due to the divergent technological path which the Furon Tze adopted, allowing them to achieve particularly advanced feats while retaining an otherwise medieval tech-base.

The main downside of this is that they have become completely dependent on this new path, unable change course without descending into a more primitive, and most likely chaotic, state once again.

Government

The Furen Tze is governed by a large circle of democratically elected councilpersons based on the capital city of Vi Tze on Furen. Each individual is chosen for their competence, as well as adherence to the Furen Tze's code of proper moral conduct.

As said beforehand, Furen Tze are fiercely loyal to Furen's ruling body, and by extension, to its individual subjects.

Ideology

The Furen Tze ideology is centered around interpersonal harmony symbolized, and actively enforced by, the Ho or "[Great] Fire", a massive seemingly ethereal flame of unknown origin, said to have already been burning long before the dawn of civilization itself. While not completely understood, whatever portions of it that have been deciphered has served as the wellspring of all contemporary Furen Tze technology, the origin and very essence of the "road not taken".

The Ho also acts as a form of mental filter, distinguishing those who follow the Furen Tze code of proper moral conduct from those who do not. It is as of yet unknown how it does this. Regardless, it is thus used by the Furen Tze to eliminate the corrupt and otherwise immoral members of the government.

For countless millennia, the torch which carries the Ho has safely resided in the capitol building of Vi Tze, at the very heart of Furen Tze civilization. With no known method to replicate the Ho, Furen Tze civilization is completely dependent upon the Fire's survival for its continued existence as a technological civilization. It only takes for the Ho to be extinguished once in order to permanently destroy the very foundations of Furen Tze civilization, and inadvertently send its people back to the dark ages, forever. This is the reason why a seemingly unusual level of isolationism is imposed upon Furen.

This is primarily due to the divergent technological path which the Furon Tze adopted, allowing them to achieve particularly advanced feats while retaining an otherwise medieval tech-base.

The main downside of this is that they have become completely dependent on this new path, unable change course without descending into a more primitive, and most likely chaotic, state once again.

To Vrin, seeing an armored warrior on a motorcycle carrying a lance is perfectly normal to them...

Does that mean the equivalent of a sniper rifle to them is a high-tech crossbow?

Logged

Quote from: The Evil Overlords Handbook

30. All bumbling conjurers, clumsy squires, no-talent bards, and cowardly thieves in the land will be preemptively put to death. My foes will surely give up and abandon their quest if they have no source of comic relief.

Does that mean the equivalent of a sniper rifle to them is a high-tech crossbow?

Yes and no.

Their crossbows are otherwise normal, though the application of Furen Tze technology allows people to gravitationally accelerate the bolts, as well as bend the light going into their eyes so that they can zoom in on targets.

This characteristic in weapons technology is both a blessing and a curse. Even weapons built in a cave using a box of scraps is usually just as effective as any other weapon, if you're competent in the use of Furen Tze technology.

On the other hand, if you happen to be an untrained Furen Tze, even a professionally crafted crossbow is, well, just a crossbow...

The Ho or "[Great] Fire" is a massive seemingly ethereal flame of unknown origin.

It is the centerpiece, as well as cornerstone, of contemporary Furen Tze civilization.

History

The Ho, as it sits within the torch room located at the heart of the capitol building in Vi Tze. Right image shows right-side up orientation of the chamber.

Said to have already been burning long before the dawn of civilization itself, the Ho is perhaps one of the oldest Furen artifacts to have ever survived the test of time.

The specific details are unknown, but from what can be gathered from the oldest intact non-mythic records, the Ho has filled a very central place in most cultures throughout known history. Starting from as far back as the age of stone tool wielders, there have been numerous accounts of nations competing over possession of the Great Fire, for a variety of reasons. These reasons ranged from something as simple as the pursuit of fame and wealth, to more profound ones like belief in various supernatural powers supposedly granted by the artifact itself.

Regardless of the truth, countless ages passed as the people of Furen continued to squabble over possession of the Ho. While some would eventually succeed in this endeavor and establish vast world-spanning empires dedicated to its name, they would all eventually collapse into ruin from inevitable internal pressures. Whenever the Great Fire was liberated from the monopolizing hands of a single powerful nation, it was merely to spur the gears of the succeeding vicious cycle.

The chain of creation and destruction continued for countless millennia as the state of civilization fluctuated wildly between a practically globalized entity to something no better than wandering savages.

The cycle would only be broken countless eras later by a thousand year gap in the records, wherein the Ho seemingly vanished from the face of the Earth. The Great Fire would only reemerge later in the annals of history, now under the clout of the current order's predecessors.

From then on, it has served as the foundation, as well as perpetuater, of all contemporary knowledge and philosophy.

When the current capitol building was established, the torch which holds the Ho was moved into the heart of the entire complex, where it resides to this very day.

Influence in Culture

Since the current order began, the Ho has provided the peculiar function of acting as a sort of mental filter.

For reasons not yet explained, the Great Fire can, upon physical contact, distinguish ideas which follow the standard code of morality from those which do not. The artifact reacts in a proportionately violently manner against the latter, while being completely harmless to the former.

This has served as a double-edged blade to the Furen Tze. While they may find themselves at peace in the presence of their unflinchingly moral arbiter, it has also ingrained upon their civilization a distinct lack of societal progress.

Influence in Government

There has been no shortage of cases where the judgment of the Ho has been called upon to settle major political disputes.

It is even used to regulate the members of governing entities. In fact, regularly passing its moral trial is standard for both current and aspiring members of the council.

Role in Technology

It is generally believed that all Furen are born unable to use their civilization's brand of technology. It is only after they have achieved their first physical connection with the Ho can they personally exhibit the ability to use Furen Tze technology. It is thought that an effect similar to the Great Fire's ability to peer into one's thoughts is imposed upon those who make initial contact with it, perhaps triggering a radical transformation in the young Furen Tze's nervous system which leads to the emergence of potential for their civilization's brand of technology.

No one knows what would happen if a being other than a Furen Tze were to ever make contact with the it. Primarily because no foreign being has ever gotten close enough to the artifact for it to be attempted in the first place.

To the eyes of foreign beings, this is perhaps what truly catches their attention.

How could Furen, a world so steeped in conformity and barely more advanced than your average medieval planet, possibly reach to the stars, let alone secure themselves amongst other star-faring powers?

Furen Tze technology would seem hopelessly anachronistic to an uninitiated observer. It is not a strange sight to see the traditional wheeled chariot coexisting with vessels that traverse the vastness of space. Likewise, a farmer who personally tills his fields returns to his thatched roof home just as commonly as a space dwelling artisan retreats to the relative safety of his quarters in the orbital station.

This divergent technological path is a true anomaly in the eyes of alien beings who have based their own technology primarily upon the realm of the mechanical.

The answer lies within the Great Fire's nature. Or at least the scant portions that the Furen Tze actually know.

Unlike most other technology, contemporary Furen Tze technology is based upon the precise manipulation of one's thoughts to produce a tried and tested result. It is, in its very essence, the practice of extending one's mental influence beyond the confines of one's consciousness, reaching out to the physical world and altering it through the use of certain thought.

Most others would conveniently call it magic out of ignorance, but a keen analysis of the phenomenon's fundamental components would promptly lead to the realization that it is deeply intertwined with the theories regarding the origin of Furen Tze consciousness.

The applied sciences deal with the process of making scientific knowledge manifest in the physical world. This can include testing theoretical models using formal science or solving actual problems by consulting the natural sciences.

The branches of engineering are closely related to the applied sciences due to the fundamental nature of the former fields. Its use in the fields of industry is commonly referred to as research and development, though the term has seldom been put to use in a serious manner in the past few millenia. In summary, applied science is important for developing and maintaining technology.

Applied science is contrasted from fundamental science by its mission to provide practical solutions to potential and existing problems instead of merely seeking to fulfill one's curiosity about the nature of the world.

1.0 Assisted Intelligence

Assisted intelligence is the field which deals with the augmentation of one's natural mental capacity. It is officially defined as "the study and design of mentally assisting agents" where a mentally assisting agent is a system that gathers computational information from a client and processes it in tandem with said client before sending back the resulting set of solutions for consolidation in the client's brain. Talen Tzu, the ancient scholar who founded assisted intelligence, coined the term, originally defining it as "the science and engineering of artificial brains."

The field was founded on the claim that the principles behind a central component of thought processing, the brain, specifically the neurons of the brain, can be so precisely described that it can be directly aided by an external artificial component. Assisted intelligence is looked upon rather optimistically, becoming an essential part of contemporary high-precision industries.

This field is most similar, and is the Furen Tze counterpart, to what other civilizations call artificial intelligence.

Computing technology is the field concerned with the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their implementation and application in computing systems, also known as computers. A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem.

Computing technology, therefore, in its most basic definition, is the field of designing and building computers.

The field's origins predate all known eras familiar to contemporary knowledge, having a history stretching back to an age with extremely scant surviving records. Computing technology, while having been surpassed in many ways by its offshoot, assisted intelligence, still remains an essential component of contemporary civilian life, being far less expensive and cumbersome than the latter.

Examples include: an abacus-analogue, encoders, and decoders.

3.0 Energy Manipulation

Energy manipulation is the application of different forms of energy in a practical setting. It encompasses a wide range of subordinate fields ranging from thermodynamics to optics to exotic forms of radiation.

The field was initially put into use by producing fire, smelting metals, maintaining active thermal regulation, as well as providing light and cooking in areas where using fire is neither conducive nor readily available. Today, it finds its place in home appliances, medical diagnostics and interventions, industrial-scale manufacturing, and military equipment.

Energy production is the gathering of energy from a raw source, as well as storing it for use at a later time. At its most primitive, it involves carbohydrate loading, while the most high-end of applications include recycling of waste heat.

It is generally accepted that the field came into being at the same time as, or at least shortly after, the foundation of energy manipulation. Each fields require the parallel application and advancement of the other in order to function effectively, if at all. Energy production has its place in contemporary technology in the form of heat traps and specially formulated diets for high performance activities.

5.0 Environmental Technology

Environmental technology is the application of environmental science to conserve the natural environment and the natural resources therein. It also aims to reduce or reverse the negative impacts of civilization on the biosphere.

The field was initially put into use by a variety of ancient nations after realizing the negative environmental impact caused by excessive use of technology, primarily those of the military and industrial kind. While inherently "green" unregulated use of Furen Tze technology can still cause major impacts on the environment by compromising natural thermal currents, disrupting the biological rhythms of wildlife or outright destroying entire biomes, the latter being a common side effect of large scale battles between the more advanced polities.

It is not uncommon to see the majority of Furen Tze technologies prioritizing the environment's safety over most other factors, with the only exception primarily being those used by the military and other high-risk professions, for obvious reasons.

Gravitational technology concerns itself with the manipulation of gravity to achieve a goal or objective.

The field was discovered rather early on in known history, seeing its primary application in the fields of personal flight and military architecture. Individuals would often use artificial gravitational fields to pull themselves off the ground and towards their intended destinations in much the same manner as the tiltrotor aircraft employed by some non-Furen Tze civilizations. It was also common for military commanders to make float-capable fortifications with trap-laden interiors capitalizing on variable gravity. Later records show accounts of civilian structures also capable of floating off the ground primarily to weather out major floods and earthquakes.

Contemporary gravitational technology sees its greatest use in spaceborne structures and vessels, both as stabilization and propulsion for said constructs and as a means of providing a standard, and more importantly stable, point of orientation for their occupants.

One of the three fundamental sciences, the other two being the spatial and temporal sciences. Materials science encompasses all fields primarily concerned with matter, its fundamental properties, and its consequences to a wide array of areas in science and engineering. It analyzes the relationship between the structure of materials at macroscopic and macroscopic levels, incorporating the underlying principles into a variety of processes. It incorporates elements of applied physics and chemistry, as well as the other fundamental sciences. It is also an important part of forensic engineering and failure analysis.

The field has always existed since the first time a Furen Tze used a stick to poke at things. During more refined eras, its practitioners primarily took the form of architects and metalsmiths, who both aimed to squeeze eery bit of efficiency out of the materials available at the time. One of materials science's most recent subordinate fields, nanotechnology, has made it a vital asset to space travel, exploration and colonization, as well as military hardware.

Examples include: cement, armor, and nanofabrics.

8.0 Spatial Science

One of the three fundamental sciences, the other two being the material and temporal sciences. Spatial science encompasses all fields primarily concerned with space, its fundamental properties, and its application in real life. It analyzes the effects of space on other aspects of the world, and vice versa, incorporating the findings into new and existing systems. It heavily incorporates theoretical physics for testing and eventual implementation.

The field possessed a strong air of mystery during the older eras, with users being few and far between, as well as rarely revealing the secrets of their trade. These early practitioners primarily served in the military or as highly esteemed artisans. More recent eras became far more open to the science, with several practitioners taking the role of teachers and actively disseminating their knowledge to select apprentices. It was during the beginning of the current era was spatial science truly introduced to the public, as entire academies dedicated to it sprang up all across the globe.

Today it plays an integral role in both storage and production, as well as space travel. The latter primarily due to the breakthrough that is portal technology, the Furen Tze brand of faster-than-light transportation.

Examples include: compressors, matter traps, and portals.

9.0 Temporal Science

One of the three fundamental sciences, the other two being the material and spatial sciences. Temporal science encompasses all fields related to the functional application and manipulation of time. Like spatial science, it heavily incorporates theoretical physics for testing and implementation.

The field began as a method of creating multiple, and most of the time consistent, internal clocks within an individual. The technology found its home in farmers, food artisans, managers, as well as all other professions primarily dependent on the accurate measurement of time. As time progressed, practitioners began to extend the technology into the actual manipulation of time within their immediate vicinity. Contemporary temporal science is now capable of accelerating and decelerating time within a specified area, and is primarily employed to further augment assisted intelligence, prolong the lifespan of perishables, as well as bake pizza faster.

Military science is the process of translating national defense policy into actual military capability through the use of theories, research, and applied technologies.

It seeks to increase overall military capability by increasing efficiency, effectiveness and simplicity of complex concepts, methods and systems used in military operations in peace during a war. Military science is the means by which military personnel obtain military technology, weapons, equipment and training to satisfactorily provide military capability as required by the national defense policy to achieve specific strategic goals.

Military science is also used to assess enemy capability as part of technical intelligence.

1.0 Military Technology

Assisted intelligence is the field which deals with equipment, vehicles, structures and communication systems that are designed specifically for use in warfare. It comprises the kinds of technology that are distinctly military in nature and clearly not civilian in application, usually because of their impracticality in civilian application or the dangerous inherent in their use by persons lacking appropriate military training.

The field was founded on the claim that the principles behind a central component of thought processing, the brain, specifically the neurons of the brain, can be so precisely described that it can be directly aided by an external artificial component. Assisted intelligence is looked upon rather optimistically, becoming an essential part of contemporary high-precision industries.

This field is most similar, and is the Furen Tze counterpart, to what other civilizations call artificial intelligence.

Examples include: firearms, submarines, and military spacecraft.

2.0 Weapon Systems

Weapon systems is the field concerned with the creation of tools used with the aim of causing damage or harm, either physical or mental, to living beings or artificial structures or systems. In Furen Tze society weapons are used to increase the efficacy, efficiency, and sometimes stylishness, of tasks such as hunting, fighting, defense, the committing of criminal acts, the preserving of law and order, and the waging of war.

Weapons can be employed individually or collectively. It can be purposely built, or only have it as a secondary function. Their form can range from something as simple as swords and throwing stones through to highly advanced implementations such as laser platforms and biological weapons. Weapon development has progressed from early wood or stone clubs through revolutions in metalworking allowing for swords, maces and the like, through the discovery of transmission technology and Ho-based technology.

In a broader context, weapon systems may include anything used to gain a strategic, material or mental advantage over an adversary on land, sea, air, or even outer space.

Military equipment is concerned with the creation of the items necessary for conducting an operation of military standard. It includes outfits, tools, rations, and if need be, breathable air.

The Furen Tze military is markedly less maintenance intensive than most other armed forces, capable of functioning primarily through their built in technologies if the need ever arises. Nevertheless, a properly equipped force will be better prepared for situations requiring additional speed, strength, precision or attrition.

Examples include: plate armor, rations and air supplies.

4.0 Military Training

Military training is the field of technology which concerns itself with the process of establishing and improving the capabilities of military personnel in their respective roles.